Drawing Nightblood with Aluminum Gauntlets

[Duxredux he/him]

What do people think would happen if you tried to draw Nightblood while wearing Aluminum gauntlets (or full plate mail, which seems the safest way to draw Nightblood, if there is indeed a safe way to do so)? Would Nightblood still go active and try to destroy, not be able to draw Investiture out of the wielder, would those weird tendrils try to climb over the Aluminum to suck Investiture out of you anyway, would Nightblood's power be lessened, or something else?

[Duxredux he/him]

Oh cool, we got a WoB on this exact question. Thanks bubblebooy whoever you are.

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bubblebooy

Could one negate the negative effects of wielding Nightblood with an aluminum gauntlet?

Brandon Sanderson

*hesitantly* This is theoretically possible, but you also wouldn't get some of the benefits. But many of the benefits are not being utilized by people who draw Nightblood. So to some of them, it would be... you wouldn't be able to notice the difference.

YouTube Spoiler Stream 5 (Dec. 2, 2022)

Looks like it's a combination of the responses. In some ways it will reduce the benefits of drawing Nightblood but also mitigate some of the negative effects.

[Quantus he/him]

I dont think it would protect the wielder much at all. His unsheathing is more than a physical thing, its the Intent of "unleashing" him, after which he even weaponizes the aluminum sheath.  If if can incorporate the sheath I think it would not be stopped by aluminum gaunlets.  Maaaybe a full aluminum suit, but I think even then it's more likely the tendrils will start eating/converting matter to feed itself before it would be foiled or depowered, etc.  

 

 

Quote

 

Brandon Sanderson

Nightblood

Nightblood's name, by the way, is supposed to sound kind of like the names of the Returned. I played with various different ways for his powers to manifest. I liked the idea of him driving those who hold him to kill anyone nearby. It seemed to work with the concepts that have come before—a kind of unholy, sentient mix of Stormbringer and the One Ring.

The strangest thing about him is the idea that his form isn't that important. The sheath is like a binding for him, keeping his power contained. So drawing him out isn't like drawing a regular weapon, but rather an unleashing of a creature who has been kept chained.

Once that creature is unleashed, he becomes a weapon—even if he's unleashed only a little bit. The sheath itself turns into a weapon, twisting those around it. You don't need to stab someone with Nightblood to kill them; smashing them on the back with the sheath works just as well. It will crunch bones, but beyond that, merely touching them with the sheath when the smoke is leaking can be deadly.

Warbreaker Annotations (Feb. 7, 2011)

 

 

[Duxredux he/him]

2 minutes ago, Quantus said:

I dont think it would protect the wielder much at all. His unsheathing is more than a physical thing, its the Intent of "unleashing" him, after which he even weaponizes the aluminum sheath.  If if can incorporate the sheath I think it would not be stopped by aluminum gaunlets.  Maaaybe a full aluminum suit, but I think even then it's more likely the tendrils will start eating/converting matter to feed itself before it would be foiled or depowered, etc.  

I'm trying to figure that one out, and I'll note that's an annotation from a long time ago. In Oathbringer the Fused blocked Nightblood with the Aluminum sheath and that was a viable defensive strategy, when even an Honorblade was damaged by Nightblood. The scabbard was in good enough shape after getting hit repeatedly to be used to sheath Nightblood after that battle, not dented or torn to prevent him being fully encased. How does this work into that?

[Quantus he/him]

1 minute ago, Duxredux said:

I'm trying to figure that one out, and I'll note that's an annotation from a long time ago. In Oathbringer the Fused blocked Nightblood with the Aluminum sheath and that was a viable defensive strategy, when even an Honorblade was damaged by Nightblood. The scabbard was in good enough shape after getting hit repeatedly to be used to sheath Nightblood after that battle, not dented or torn to prevent him being fully encased. How does this work into that?

The difference (and maybe this wasnt exactly what you were asking, sorry) is wielding Nightblood vs fighting him.  As a defense against Nightblood Aluminum is basically the only game in town (since even an honorblade isnt Invested enough to resist completely) so gauntlets would be great for that. 

For the person drawing and wielding him though, I could be wrong but I dont think it would be enough to get you around Nighblood's intrinsic need to drain it's wielder Investiture (seemingly as fuel).  When you wield him there is a Bond happening at a spiritual level (as part of his Test and that later lets him speak telepathically to them), and aluminum doesnt always block realmic effects (like Soulcasting inside a box, for example).  For that reason and also for the doylist/narrative reason of never bypassing the double-edged Cost of Nightblood, I dont think physical gloves would block the Feeding aspect of Nightblood if you were the one to "unleash" him.  

[cometaryorbit]

I definitely don't think it would get around the cost/double-edged aspect, letting a wielder use Nightblood safely.

But it *might* keep Nightblood from being used at all, preventing him from activating in the first place- if the aluminum prevented the bond with the wielder from forming, Nightblood might stay in the 'dormant' state?

[Quantus he/him]

26 minutes ago, cometaryorbit said:

I definitely don't think it would get around the cost/double-edged aspect, letting a wielder use Nightblood safely.

But it *might* keep Nightblood from being used at all, preventing him from activating in the first place- if the aluminum prevented the bond with the wielder from forming, Nightblood might stay in the 'dormant' state?

That's plausible, realmically.  It still  feels too easy so it might require a full-body aluminum suit to prevent a tendril from reaching around the glove.   Though in light of the recent Light experiments, it might require several layers of isolation, maybe also a vacuum chamber, to really cut it off.  But that's where theory starts to need experimentation (and hopefully Navani will get around to it).  

[jasnah kholin]

I think that the aluminum would stop nightblood from drawing investiture from the user and might be slightly weaker because it doesn't have the investiture from the user to help power it. 

[Why Kaladin?]

On 6/29/2022 at 10:03 AM, Quantus said:

That's plausible, realmically.  It still  feels too easy so it might require a full-body aluminum suit to prevent a tendril from reaching around the glove.   Though in light of the recent Light experiments, it might require several layers of isolation, maybe also a vacuum chamber, to really cut it off.  But that's where theory starts to need experimentation (and hopefully Navani will get around to it).  

I'm both hoping this happens (with in depth study of these things in books) and also hoping it won't happen for the danger it will put the characters in

[Quantus he/him]

10 minutes ago, LightweaverWannabe said:

I'm both hoping this happens (with in depth study of these things in books) and also hoping it won't happen for the danger it will put the characters in

Haha! Let whatever becomes the cosmere nazi-equivalent get their hand on him only to Ark of the Covenant themselves with the attempt!

[Why Kaladin?]

2 minutes ago, Quantus said:

Haha! Let whatever becomes the cosmere nazi-equivalent get their hand on him only to Ark of the Covenant themselves with the attempt!

Who would be the Cosmere Nazis? Like the Ire maybe? I don't think we know yet. Brandon has said though that there are some very scary mercenary groups. Maybe one of them? (But that sounds awesome maybe that will happen in Nightblood whenever that eventually gets written)

Edited July 21, 2022 by LightweaverWannabe

[Quantus he/him]

1 minute ago, LightweaverWannabe said:

Who would be the Cosmere Nazis? Like the Ire maybe? I don't think we know yet. Brandon has said though that there are some very scary mercenary groups. Maybe one of them? (But that sounds awesome maybe that will happen in Nightblood whenever that eventually gets written)

I dont really think there is one now, other than maybe the Jaddeth/Dakhor forces that show the most classically intolerant form of imperial zealots so far.  Also maybe Vorinism, which I could easily see going off the rails by the space age.  

The Ire are possible but I dont feel like we know enough to characterize them. The ghostbloods could probably get there if they dont keep a strong guiding hand on all the far-flung operations (local leaders seem to have too much control and not a lot of oversight).  

[Why Kaladin?]

14 minutes ago, Quantus said:

I dont really think there is one now, other than maybe the Jaddeth/Dakhor forces that show the most classically intolerant form of imperial zealots so far.  Also maybe Vorinism, which I could easily see going off the rails by the space age.  

I do wonder about the future of Vorinism it seems increasingly less and less stable with more prominent figures turning away from it and I think that either it is going to have to change a lot or be shattered.

[Quantus he/him]

1 minute ago, LightweaverWannabe said:

I do wonder about the future of Vorinism it seems increasingly less and less stable with more prominent figures turning away from it and I think that either it is going to have to change a lot or be shattered.

Depends on how successful Dalinar is in Uniting them...

But in the long term, I suspect Roshar and the Radiants to split into factions, most likely behind each of the 3 (or more) Bondsmiths.  

[Why Kaladin?]

1 minute ago, Quantus said:

Depends on how successful Dalinar is in Uniting them...

But in the long term, I suspect Roshar and the Radiants to split into factions, most likely behind each of the 3 (or more) Bondsmiths.  

That seems possible but I think the Sibling and the Stormfather will remain somewhat united the Nightwatcher seems like more of a wild card to me but a civil war in the Radiants after the Voidbringer problem is resolved seems very likely we already have seen factions and orders fighting and if according to one of my theories, Dalinar will be gone by the end of the next book. It seems very likely historically allies of convenience have turned to fighting when the mutual enemy is gone. And I can see the Skybreakers and the Dustbringers revolting against the mainstream orders but I hope it will be put down quickly. But still I could see that laying seeds of resentment for the later generations which would be interesting to see.

[Quantus he/him]

1 minute ago, LightweaverWannabe said:

That seems possible but I think the Sibling and the Stormfather will remain somewhat united the Nightwatcher seems like more of a wild card to me but a civil war in the Radiants after the Voidbringer problem is resolved seems very likely we already have seen factions and orders fighting and if according to one of my theories, Dalinar will be gone by the end of the next book. It seems very likely historically allies of convenience have turned to fighting when the mutual enemy is gone. And I can see the Skybreakers and the Dustbringers revolting against the mainstream orders but I hope it will be put down quickly. But still I could see that laying seeds of resentment for the later generations which would be interesting to see.

I tend to see it all both Uniting and fracturing more than that, with some members of all orders and races rallying around each of the three Bondsmiths.  As for the Stormfather and Sibling, I think they might feel a lot less attachment and/or loyalty to each other and their parent Shards once those shards have passed on from their "Parents" to recently mortal "children" a time or three.   

[Why Kaladin?]

1 minute ago, Quantus said:

I tend to see it all both Uniting and fracturing more than that, with some members of all orders and races rallying around each of the three Bondsmiths.  As for the Stormfather and Sibling, I think they might feel a lot less attachment and/or loyalty to each other and their parent Shards once those shards have passed on from their "Parents" to recently mortal "children" a time or three.   

Okay I can see that I'm not expecting a rebellion until Dalinar is gone and the Voidbringers are no longer a problem but I guess I might be overvaluing Dalinar more that I should and his charisma. I wonder who would side with who?

[Quantus he/him]

3 minutes ago, LightweaverWannabe said:

Okay I can see that I'm not expecting a rebellion until Dalinar is gone and the Voidbringers are no longer a problem but I guess I might be overvaluing Dalinar more that I should and his charisma. I wonder who would side with who?

I should clarify that Im picturing the state in space age, so hundreds of years and several generations from now.  If Dalinar's still around he'd be either with the Stormfather or a bargained tool of Odium.

[Why Kaladin?]

6 minutes ago, Quantus said:

I should clarify that Im picturing the state in space age, so hundreds of years and several generations from now.  If Dalinar's still around he'd be either with the Stormfather or a bargained tool of Odium.

Okay now that I'm thinking about that timeframe I can definitely see that. I think the Dustbringers and Skybreakers would be the base of that seeing how their founding members are not the most trustworthy I'm foreseeing an early rebellion being put down leaving seeds of resentment in the surviving members leading up to a big rebellion in the space age.

Edited July 21, 2022 by LightweaverWannabe

[+robardin he/him]

On 6/29/2022 at 10:27 AM, Quantus said:

The difference (and maybe this wasnt exactly what you were asking, sorry) is wielding Nightblood vs fighting him.  As a defense against Nightblood Aluminum is basically the only game in town (since even an honorblade isnt Invested enough to resist completely) so gauntlets would be great for that. 

For the person drawing and wielding him though, I could be wrong but I dont think it would be enough to get you around Nighblood's intrinsic need to drain it's wielder Investiture (seemingly as fuel).  When you wield him there is a Bond happening at a spiritual level (as part of his Test and that later lets him speak telepathically to them), and aluminum doesnt always block realmic effects (like Soulcasting inside a box, for example).  For that reason and also for the doylist/narrative reason of never bypassing the double-edged Cost of Nightblood, I dont think physical gloves would block the Feeding aspect of Nightblood if you were the one to "unleash" him.  

I dunno. In Warbreaker, while wielding NB to vaporize guards and to cut through walls to reach Vivenna and Denth, Vasher is able to physically cast Nightblood, unsheathed, into a corner of the room to avoid having the last of his Breath - and then his final one - drained out of him.

On the other hand, at Thaylen Fields, Szeth was unable to release his hold Nightblood (or vice versa) once the Fused had taken the aluminum sheath away.

So there is something we are missing in the equation, still.